West Bridge Journals

Hey, he’s got my watch!

Our Three Quarter Ton Army Truck was getting ready to pull out on Hwy One headed back to the base at Long Thanh North. Just as the driver let off the clutch to pull out, the truck stalled, and would not crank back up. I was in the back with three other soldiers and we jumped out and started to push the truck to get it restarted. As usual there were several young Vietnamese Boys standing around the corner looking for a handout. They came running over to help us push, in the off chance we would give them something, which we would have. The boy that was by me pushing, grabbed the body of my watch just as the truck started up and as I was jumping back into the truck. He pulled it so hard that it just popped the elastic band, and took off running.

“Hey, he’s got my watch!” I yelled for the driver to pull over and I gave chase. He ran across the highway dodging traffic with me in hot pursuit. On the far side of the road were several rows of concertina wire that he jumped with ease, putting some distance between us as I made my way through the wire much slower. Once through, I pick up speed and was gaining on him when he turn a corner and disappeared into a small village at the edge of the highway. I ran into the village for about a hundred feet and came to a sudden stop. I no longer saw the boy, but I saw some angry faces on some men. I looked back and none of my buddies had come with me. All at once, that watch didn’t mean anything to me anymore. I said as much out loud as I pulled my Smith & Weston 38 out of the holster. I held it down by my side as I back out of the village, all the while telling the boy to keep the watch.

I was really sick when I got back to the truck. The watch was not worth my life true enough, but that was not just any watch. No sir, that was a 14k Gold Bulova Accutron Spaceview Watch. I had spent my first tour of duty in Viet Nam wearing a $12.00 Timex self-winding watch, and just before I left for the USA, I bought that beautiful watch for a $140.00 in the PX. I had been planning that for 4 months. Back home that watch sold for $300.00. It was the world’s first fully electronic watch. It kept time to within two seconds a day. The watch was regulated by a tiny humming tuning fork. It was even chosen by NASA to be incorporated into their space time computers. Man, I loved that watch. Now, two years later when back in Viet Nam on my second tour I lose it to a kid, who I know would more than likely sell it to another GI for $10.00. If so, I’m sure that he still has it and tells people what a great bargain he got while serving his country, and I only get to tell this story. Shucks…

Note: While preparing for this story, I saw on the internet a 1968 gold accutron watch, like the one I lost, that had just sold for $1,790.00, and a 1960 model up for sale for $3,950.00. Now I am really sick.